More Black Belt Stitching Wizard Stuff

Tuesday, September 30, 2008

Tonight, it finally happened, I have hit the 40 lbs lost mark! Actually just over 40 since I lost 1.5 lbs this week, yay! It only took 4 weeks longer than I thought. The body is just a funny thing, it never does what you expect.

I decided for tonight, to pull out Jeannette Douglas's Pomegranates and Pears for the evening. I do have another Neighbourhood Round Robin to get to, but it was too late in the evening to go rifling through charts, magazines, etc to pick a house. Perhaps tomorrow evening I'll get to that.

On the fundraising front I've now managed to raise $555.00 for the CIBC Run For the Cure.

Monday, September 29, 2008

The last couple of stitching days have been rather productive for me! Like I mentioned in my last post, I did finish my Dragon Dreams model on Sunday. I'll be able to share that one with you later in October.

On the other hand, last night and tonight I've finished two ornaments. I did start these earlier in the month, so don't go thinking these were fresh starts and that I have turbo-needles! I got these cute little Santa's out of a magazine at Ann's, the only problem is I didn't make a note of which magazine!

Li'l Santa Stick-Ups #1

Penny Duff

Stitched on : 32ct Platinum Lugana

Stitched with : DMC cotton

Li'l Santa Stick-Ups #2Penny DuffStitched on : 32ct Platinum Lugana

Stitched with : DMC cotton

I haven't decided what project I'm going to tackle next, I'll think about that tomorrow when I get home from WW.

Sunday, September 28, 2008

Good morning, BBSW (Black Belt Stitching Wizard) readers! For some reason, I'm up and perky before 10 am on a Sunday! Actually I've been up since 7am which as my family and friends can attest to is very odd for me. So I've booted up the ole' computer, uploaded some pictures to share with you, and I've started the stretching on Kathy's wedding sampler that she wanted re-framed behind glass. Meanwhile Todd is being a real sweetie and making me breakfast.

First I'll start with something stitching related since this blog has been quite bereft of stitching content for about two weeks now! Mid-week I received my squares for round 9 of Fair and Square from Jane in the UK. They are going to make a fantastic addition to the quilt I'm going to make from them. Jane's squares will be going in the mail on Monday and hopefully they will make it quickly across the pond so I can share them with you. I quite like what I stitched up for her.

On the model stitching front, I'll be finishing up the Dragon Dreams model today! Yippeeee! I stayed up until after 1am stitching, and I could of stayed up longer but I decided I didn't want to waste a fair part of Sunday sleeping in. I'm down to the last cross stitching section, and one row of specialty stitches. When I'm done here online I'll be picking it back up.

This weeks Photo Hunt theme is "View" and I think I'm going to share with you one you've seen before... its my favourite view at a very good friend of mine's summer home. I often make it out there on average twice while she's in Canada and I get to enjoy this fantastic view of lake Ontario.

I've almost reached my fundraising goal for Run For The Cure, I'm sitting at 480.00 out of 500 raised. I have until Sunday morning on October 5th and I'm sure I'll reach it by then! Thank you to all of you out there in the blogger community who have made online donations (see the link below my profile in the sidebar if you're interested in donating).

Wednesday, September 24, 2008

Ann was kind enough to let me know that she was having trouble with the link on my sidebar for my personal donation page for Run For the Cure (Breast Cancer Research). Silly blogger added in an extra http:// so I've managed to fix that.

You can also click HERE if you'd like to make an online donation to help me towards my goal!

To date I have managed to raise $340.00 for Breast Cancer Research (in person and online donations combined). I have increased my goal to $500 as I have until the morning of October 5th to continue to collect donations.

On to a stitching note, my model is progressing nicely... except for last night I was sooo tired I just went to bed and read Breaking Dawn for a couple of hours before giving in for the night.

Saturday, September 20, 2008

I took this shot on my trip to the Adirondacks with my in late July. We stayed just outside of a small town called Keene, right in the mountains. It was just gorgeous there! I could very easily go back.

Tonight we've had a little visitor, just hanging out on our sliding doors! Todd says he's a tree frog.

For those of you who are wondering who the winner is of my blogiversary draw I just wanted to let you know I'll be drawing the name tomorrow so stay tuned.

I want to say a big thank you to those of you who have been kind enough to support me in the Run For The Cure (raising funds for Breast Cancer research)! The run is on October 5th, and Todd has been a real sweetie he has registered to run too. He's decided just to pay the fee to participate, whereas to me this is an important cause (well any cancer research is) and I decided to try and raise the minimum $150 (this way the registration fee would be waived). I've been quite surprised by the generosity of those I have asked to donate, as of tonight I have raised $250 and I have upped my goal to $350. There's still time for me to fund raise so we'll see just how much I can gather in donations, as we know every penny counts!

If you are interested in making a donation it can be done online and the amount will go towards my fundraising totals click HERE. You can be from anywhere in the world to make a donation, if you don't live in Canada or the US just make sure your province/state is listed as N/A in the drop-down list. Thanks!

Wednesday, September 17, 2008

Some of my long -time readers may remember the breast cancer scare I had back in April of 2007. I am one of the lucky people the lump in my breast turned out not to be cancer. Since then I've wanted to be able to do something to help.

This year I'll be participating in CIBC's Run for the Cure on Sunday October 5th. I would like to raise a minimum of $150.00

Please feel free to sponsor me and make a donation. Click HERE to go to my personal fundraising page and make a donation online. Please let me know if the link doesn't work.

Tuesday, September 16, 2008

I had a great weigh in tonight at Weight Watchers, I lost 2 lbs this week! Yay! I am so motivated now with each pound loss I see this as one pound closer to goal. Over the last few months I've slowly started doing some running on my treadmill. Tonight I managed to do 2.5 KM in 35 minutes! Now 26 of that was running and 10 walking, the first 20 minutes of running I did without a walk-break. Slowly I'm getting closer to being able to run 5K! You know, I'm thinking if I can run, I should be able to slowly re-introduce Taekwon-Do right? I'm going to ask my specialist in a few weeks when I see him next.

Since I have no stitching to share I've got another PhotoHunt to entertain you! This is a slightly older hunt with a theme of Beautiful

This is a door I found while walking about in Old Montreal last September. When you walk around this world with a camera, you can start to see the world in a new way and discover the beauty in the most mundane things. The wood used for this door is just gorgeous!

Monday, September 15, 2008

Unfortunately I have no stitching to share with you tonight. Since I finished Vonna's Neighbourhood RR I've been working on Round 9 of the Fair & Square exchange for my partner Jane. So of course what I've stitched her will have to remain top secret until its been shipped and received by Jane. I should be able to wrap that up tomorrow, I just have the name block to finish. I also put my first stitches in the model I'm sittching for Dragon Drams, Dragon's Lullaby. The colours are fantastic and the sampler is too cute!

Now for this past Saturday's Photo Hunt theme... "Wild"

This is my sister-in-law... well I have no better name for her since Todd and I aren't married but I've been a part of their family for over 16 years now. We each have to sometimes have some fun and show our wild side! I always say its more fun to be crazy than conventional!

Saturday, September 13, 2008

Today I had a lovely day out at Rebecca's grandparent's cottage! Her family's cottage is about half way between my place and her place so its a great meeting point for us. Also we've been trying to arrange this for about a year now so that us girls could stitch in the lovely screened in porch (no bugs) and the boys (Curits & Todd) could go fishing. Finally that happened today. The cottage is out on a beautiful lake, which I have to say I'm hoping we can go back again so I can get out in the boat with my camera, we went for a tour on the lake after dinner but there wasn't enough light for pictures.

View from the Dock

View from the Boathouse

Rebecca's Son Caleb

I spent the day working on Vonna's Neighbourhood Round Robin, and I finished up the last of it tonight! I hope you like it Vonna!

Zweigart's Tannenbaum Giftshop

c2006 Zweigart/Joan ToggittStitched with DMC

Here's last week's Phtohunt #126 - Strings... and well you've got plenty of that when you've got a full set of DMC!

Friday, September 12, 2008

Wow where has the time gone? Five years ago today, I started blogging and I haven't stopped! I want to say thanks to each and every one of you for reading, for commenting, for encouraging me!

So to celebrate and to say thank you I'm having a Blogiversary Draw! You have until next Friday (September 19th) to leave a comment to have your name entered in my draw. The winner will receive a stitched goodie from me!

Wednesday, September 10, 2008

Greetings and salutations B.B.S.W. readers! Its mid week, and I'm looking forward to the weekend, just to be at the end of this work week. Gosh I feel like lately I've been working harder than I have in the past, or at least I seem to be constantly on my feet and on the go! The down side to being busy at work? It leaves a girl pretty pooped, and too tired to stitch!

I have squeezed in some stitching time in the last few days on Vonna's Neighbourhood Round Robin. I have managed to finish all the cross stitching on the little shop... I'm sure its a needlework shop ... the owner lives upstairs! I've got the perfect name for this little LNS, I'll leave that for the very last! I've also gotten a fair amount of backstitching done on this shop. Once I wrap that up (tomorrow?) I have to figure out the "extras" I should stitch to fill up the space left in my block. I'm thinking a street lamp (a la Narnia) maybe a bench ... a bike? Another cat on said bench? We'll see!

I'm quite excited I've got a model on the way either tomorrow or Friday! Its been a long time since I've done any stitching for Jennifer of Dragon Dreams! I will be stitching the model for her Dragon's Lullaby that she will be teaching at the Creativ Festival! Oooh this little sampler is so droolable I can't wait to start it! It'll be nice to stitch a model I'll enjoy.

I had a decent weigh in on Tuesday at Weight Watchers, I've lost a pound. Which means I'm on the downslope towards my goal weight, one pound past the 1/2 way mark! In the last few weeks since school has started I've treated myself to some new slacks and tops for work (why can't jeans be considered "work wear" as long as you dress them up?). The truth is ... after this summer none of my work clothes fit anymore. I'm still finding it hard, getting used to the compliments I'm receiving from my co-workers... quite a few people have complimented how I look multiple times. They feel great each and every compliment, but I guess I don't see the difference they do. I asked Todd last night if there is really that much of a difference in my appearance. He says yes there is.

I know when I go clothes shopping it is now enjoyable. I used to dread having to buy clothes, I'd wear things until they were faded and wearing thin. It would take me forever... an hour at least to find just one pair of pants that would fit in a manner that I was happy with. Tops, I'd often buy v-neck shirts with no graphics on them. That would be work clothes. Its very hard to find clothing that fits and fits nicely when you're a plus sized pettite! Now that I'm just out of plus sized clothing I can go into any shop (I used to only buy clothes in 2-3 particular stores) I want to find something that fits... and looks good! On Friday night I went into Danier Leather and drooled over the leather jackets. Oh I so want a new one, the one Todd got me for Christmas a few years ago is just too big now. I'll be looking forward to shopping for a new one when I hit goal, I don't want to spend that kind of money when I've got more weight to loose!

Sunday, September 07, 2008

For the first time since the last weekend in July, I have spent a FULL weekend at home! Can you believe it? Every weekend for the last month and a half has been full of fun adventures, but every once in awhile its nice to be home and have your stuff (and your cats) around you!

So what did I spent me weekend doing? Since it was cold, miserable and rainy ... I stitched of course!

I pretty much spent two days working on Vonna's Neighbourhood RR, except the odd time when Hunter insisted on being on my lap, then I worked on my September ornaments. I have to say the house I picked for Vonna (which is actually more like a shop but I just loved it!) has so much confetti stitching! Argh, I'm sure I'd be done by now if it wasn't for that confetti. Vonna's worth the extra work anyhow!

Wednesday, September 03, 2008

Well I survived the first day of school... and the second. I am pooped and my foot is sore, LOL big surprise.

I've gotten a start on Vonna's Neighbourhood Round Robin, it was MIA for awhile but one of our members went and got since we had a good idea of where it was and she didn't live too far away. I wish I had more progress than this to show (the roof) but this is one of my busier times of year.

I am going to try my best to get back at Photo Hunting! I've had a few commenters telling me they miss my participation. So here's last week's theme : Beautiful

This picture was taken back in 2005 when my Mum and I last went to Myrtle Beach, S.C. Being someone who lives inland and too many hours from the ocean, there's nothing more beautiful than a beach with the ocean waves lapping up on the shore.

When I weighed in last night the scale didn't budge an ounce!!! I suppose this is a good thing since I didn't track a single point all long weekend long!

Thank you everyone for your kind comments lately, I really appreciate each and every one!

Monday, September 01, 2008

Wow! What a fantastic weekend, for friends, for stitching, for the weather, and for TOO MUCH food (mmmm weigh in might not be good tomorrow I didn't track a single point all weekend)!!!

Sadly Thursday night I received a phone call from Judy, she wasn't able to join us for the weekend due to a family emergency. Judy you were talked about (don't worry in a good light), you were missed and we're all looking forward to meeting you in the near future!!!

Friday after work Christin (thank you for helping the ladies at work all day!) and I loaded into my poor little car (I think I've put on 6,000 KM since the end of July) and set off to Kathy's place on the shores of Lake Ontario outside of Brighton, Ontario. I pulled up to Kathy's happy to see that Beatrice's car was already there. We were warmly welcomed and not too long after arriving Kathy had a nice dinner ready for the four of us. It didn't take us long to get stitching, since I was soooo tired I pulled out Paradigm Lost, it was about the only project I was capable of focusing on. We stitched late into the night.

Kathy showing off her gift! Look familiar?

Before lunch on Saturday the gang started to arrive!

Here's Saturday's group shot... not the best unfortunately I didn't take the lighting into account, but we so wanted the lake in the background.